A bit of a shorter chapter this week, I definitely didn't want to make 4k words a norm in this story and the string of really long chapters was not helping. Aside from that, I've been noticing a few people asking questions in the comments about this or that. I assure you answers will come in due time you just have to wait. Once again thank you for reading and enjoy.
Camp Half-Blood
The first thing Kratos noticed as the bright light faded was the sound of children, as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings he could see he wasn't wrong in that assessment.
The valley in front of him was large, in the center looked to be large cabins set in a similar order to the throne room of the gods. Around those cabins were plenty of buildings and fields, he spotted an amphitheater, stables, and…was that a wall with lava? The land itself was surrounded by a forest that opened up to a large lake tinted orange by the sunsets light. Activity within the camp was bustling, children were everywhere.
"This is the camp?" Kratos asked, taking it all in.
Hestia nodded, "This is Camp Half-Blood, where all of the gods' children come to learn." Off in the distance he could spot a field of children sparring, some were practicing their archery, others riding pegasi.
"Learning to survive." He assumed, the hum of approval by Hestia told him he was correct.
She guided him down the hill where a large tree sat, it was no normal tree. The tree held a golden pelt, which he could only assume could be the golden fleece, its protective power could not be mistaken. He had not seen the fleece since his time in Greece, how it ended up on a tree was curious. It seemed to be placed there for a reason because the tree was surrounded by a small dragon. The dragon rested around the tree, looking at him intently until it noticed Hestia and got excited.
"This is Peleus, he is the guardian of the tree, and makes sure no one poaches the golden fleece. He is also a very good guardian." Hestia approached the dragon and rubbed its face, the dragon hummed in comfort at the goddess' touch.
"Why is the fleece here? It is a useful tool, to keep it as a trophy is a waste." As Kratos approached, the dragon once again turned towards him as if gauging his intent.
"This is Thalia's tree, it is the barrier that stops all monsters and unwanted mortals from entering the camp grounds. A few years ago the tree was poisoned, so the fleece was needed to keep it healthy. The barrier is healthier than ever now, and Peleus here guards the tree to make sure no one steals it. Isn't that right Peleus?" Once again Hestia rubbed the dragon's head, and it responded with a soft low hum that vibrated the ground around him. It seemed very pleased.
"The muse blessed this tree?" During his short tenure on Olympus, the muse of comedy had worked hard to get him to smile at one of her jokes. It did not work.
"Not the muse. Thalia was a demi-god child of Zeus who sacrificed her life here many years ago. To save her, Zeus turned her into this tree so she would not die. That's why it's named after her."
Kratos could only find the irony in this, another child of Zeus condemned by the gods'.
"Seems rather drastic don't you think?" Mimir spoke up from behind.
"Never say Lord Zeus does not take half measures, but it turned out to be the best option. The fleece's power had a wonderful side effect, bringing back the child." Hestia patted the dragon one more time before returning to Kratos' side.
"A mistake rectified, but made nonetheless." Kratos said.
"If that's how you wish to view it. Come." Hestia walked towards the camp and Kratos followed, as he blinked. Hestia's form changed, now just a child younger than Atreus. "Aside from me and Dionysus, the gods rarely come to camp, and I don't like making my presence a big deal. Feel free to do the same."
"I am fine as I am." While true he did not feel the need to hide himself, Kratos also lacked the power to simply change his form, a power reserved for more powerful gods than he.
The two walked into camp, and were met with surprisingly little commotion. Some of the younger children gave him weary glances, but the older ones didn't seem to mind him. He was rather surprised by how busy this camp was, it reminded him or his army of Spartans except with children.
"The camp provides many utilities for the children, skills useful for battle and survival, I'm sure you saw a few of them on your way in. " Hestia pointed some of them out, like he had seen from the camps entrance.
"Some of these seem eccentric, if I do say." Mimir commented.
"Chiron, the camps activities director, makes sure to supply the children with as much training as they can predictably engage with. He is, after all, our finest teacher in combat."
"Ah yes, the centaur, Greeces greatest trainer and mentor of some of its finest warriors. I've heard of him, what about you brother, ever met the legend?" Mimir asked kratos.
"No." By the time he was of age, Kratos was already a tenacious fighter and respected among his fellow spartans. Tutelage from a mentor like the illustrious Chiron was simply not needed.
"Well then I suppose you two will need introducing, Chiron is dutiful to the camp and knows all the children here. If anyone knows if your child is here, it will be Chiron."
The two walked towards a large house near the cabins, quite larger than anything around it. Sitting on the porch was a rotund man he recognized as one of the gods from Olympus. He sat with his eyes closed and a glass of purple liquid and ice in his hand, clearly not paying attention to the children.
"Hello Dionysus." Hestia made herself known, the god could only groan as he opened his eyes to the three guests. They were apparently disturbing his rest.
"Hello Hestia and…you," Dionysus waved his hand limply, not caring to remember the newcomer, "I guess you've finally come to look for this ones brat. You'll have to wait though, Chiron is in a meeting with the councilors. Apparently some of them are "too old" and "going to college". Pfah I say, you don't see me complaining about my age." Dionysus took a swig of his drink.
"Shouldn't you be in there with them?" Hestia asked.
"What, so I can remember another set of faces that will be gone in a blink? I'm good, thank you very much. Plus, today's meeting was a bore and I needed some me-time." Dionysus looked out toward the sunset.
"You've been doing this for centuries Dionysus, could you at least act like you care. These are the children's most formative years, it would mean so much to them." Dionysus looked at Hestia, then Kratos, then behind them to the camp.
"Nah." Dionysus leaned back into his chair and took another swig of his drink.
"Not very godly, I must say." Mimir muttered.
"I heard that."
Hestia sighed as she guided Kratos to the side of the house where a larger porch with seats and tables looked out over the lake. "Have a seat, we'll wait for Chiron for now." Kratos did not argue, he sat in one of the chairs and put Mimir on the table.
The three sat in silence, Kratos was comfortable with it, it gave him time to think or to focus on an objective ahead of him. Originally it had seemed to upset Mimir, who was a very active talker, but the years had gotten him used to the sudden bouts of silence. Hestia seemed to not like it either.
"Tell me about him." Kratos turned to the goddess, who was looking out over the lake. "Your son, I mean."
"Atreus, his name is Atreus."
"Tell me about Atreus, will you, Kratos?"
"Atreus is…youthful, smart, caring like his mother, and stubborn."
"Much like you, brother." Mimir jested, Kratos did not respond.
"How old is he?" Hestia asked.
"He is 14 winters old, starting to become his own man." The boy he once knew was entering a new stage in his life, and that worried Kratos.
"He's grown to be quite a good lad, Faye would be proud." Kratos nodded at Mimir.
"The boy's mother?" Hestia guessed. "Yes, she passed from this life not long ago, It was a difficult time, but Atreus and I have grown past it." The time after Faye's passing was truly a hard journey for the two of them, so many issues lingered between the father and son duo. Thankfully, Faye's request sent them on a journey that reconciled that divide and so much more.
"What was she like?"
There was a lot of ways Kratos could describe Faye, so many he could list to Hestia right now. But none of it could do justice to how she truly was. Her sage wisdom, her kindness, the way she could look past his regrets and see the good man inside. In truth, he likely did not deserve her kindness, but she gave it anyway.
"Better than me." Faye always knew what to do, but when it was Kratos' turn to finally connect with his son he was left floundering. Everyday after her death he questioned what Faye would do, and everyday he was never given an answer. It was only after putting Faye to rest in Jotunheim did he stop asking those questions. But he still wondered.
"You must have respected her much, to say a mortal was better than you." Ah yes, he hadn't told her that Faye was a Jotun. He would keep it that way.
Before he could say another word, the door to the house behind them opened, voices spilling out and the distinct sound of squeaking metal among them. Hestia stood up, it was time. Kratos grabbed Mimir and attached him to his belt before following Hestia.
In front of the house were a group of children, all older than Atreus, in the middle was a man sitting in a chair with wheels attached to it. The children around him looked like they were on the verge of adulthood, not only that but he could feel the power emanating from some of them.
Like the gods on Olympus, some of the children in that group radiated with power. Some he could distinctly tell, one of the older boys was a son of Poseidon. A girl, burly and packing muscle, was a child of Ares. But the one that intrigued him most was a blonde haired boy with electric blue eyes, there was no mistaking the way the air moved around him. He was a son of Zeus, just like him.
The group noticed him and Hestia quickly, it was hard not to after all. The son of Poseidon looked to Hestia first with wide eyes, clearly not expecting them. The daughter of Ares gave him a confused look, Kratos was unsure why. As for the son of Zeus, he was unsure what he was thinking, the boy's face was neutral.
"Hello Chiron, may we have a moment of your time?" Hestia asked the man in the chair. This was Chiron? Kratos was led to believe the famed teacher was a centaur.
"Ah, your highness, apologies for making you wait. The end of the year is approaching and makes it busy for me, you see." He turned to the children, "Councilors, if you'll please be sure to give me your recommendations by the end of the month, we will end the meeting here." A series of 'yes' and 'whatever's' rang from the children as they all dispersed.
Soon, the porch was left to the three of them, and Dionysus but he was fast asleep. Chiron turned back to Kratos and Hestia, ready to hear from them.
"What seems to be the issue, your highness? You rarely approach me without there being a problem needing solved." Chiron asked.
"There is no issue, at least not one of grave important to Olympus. Simply a favor I ask of you. This here is Kratos," Hestia motioned to Kratos, "He is a minor god of war and is looking for his child whom he has been separated from. We were hoping we could find him here at your camp."
Chiron rubbed his chin, "I'm sorry but I don't remember ever meeting you, yet you say you're a minor god of war?"
"I am from Greece, I do not make myself known." Kratos was not one for elaborate lies.
"I can speak to that!" Mimir spoke from his place on Kratos' belt.
"Is that a severed head?" Chiron looked to Mimir.
"Not just any severed head, for I am Mimir! The smartest man alive!" Chiron did not question this, and turned back towards Kratos.
"Well, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I know many minor gods have more or less fallen off the map since those times so allow me to welcome you back. As for your child, what is their name?"
"A boy, named Atreus, carries a bow with him."
"Hm, I don't seem to recall any camper by that name but we have just received a new wave of campers this summer." Chiron looked up, the sunset was getting lower by the second.
"Excuse me but dinner is being prepared soon, we can discuss this more after. You can be our guest for tonight, I'm sure some of the campers would love to know another god is in their presence, right Dionysus?" Chiron spoke the last part considerably louder. Behind him, the sleeping Olympian startled from his rest. The remains of his purple drink splashing onto his clothes.
Dionysus sighed, "Thank you for that Chiron." His bitter voice a sign of his disrupted sleep, Dionysus stood up and walked towards the mess hall further into camp muttering all the way.
Chiron chuckled, he positioned himself as if to stand up, and he did but not how Kratos expected. His lower half raised itself from the chair he was sitting in. In only a few seconds, Chiron stood at eye level to Kratos now with his full centaur body revealed. "Come, let us see if we can find your son and have a good meal in the meantime."